The Bulletin from Johnny Cake Hill, Summer 2013 - New Bedford ...

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four remarkablebradfordpaintingsBy ELLERY H. KURTZNancy Jean (nee Bradford) Robertson acquired fourmarvelous paintings by William Bradford betweenNovember 2006 and November 2007. When I beganto work with Jean to acquire these paintings, I learnedthat her family was proud to count William Bradfordamong their ancestors. Unfortunately, Jean only hadthe pleasure of living with these paintings until 2012,when she passed away at the age of seventy-seven.I learned of Jean’s death last year when her familycontacted me to discuss placing the paintings on longterm loan to a museum.The first two Bradford paintings to enter into Jean’s collectionwere the remarkably sublime East River off Lower Manhattanc. 1861-1862 and the arresting Ships off the Labrador Coast ca. 1870s.East River off Lower Manhattan is notable for its realistic attentionto detail, as well as for being one of only two paintings of NewYork City by Bradford. In East River off Lower Manhattan, multipleships are at rest in the calm waters of New York City’s major shippingroute. The painting is crisply detailed and evenly illuminatedin full daylight. With attention to detail and a strongly paintedcomposition, the artist succeeded in producing a work that is both“ It was apparent that the joy she found in owningthe first two Bradfords had inspired Jean to addothers to her walls. This remarkable gem is amasterful painting done in a luminous style thatevokes the romance of the sea and the feelingof isolation that often accompanied the life of aseaman in the 19th century.”Paintings courtesy of the children and grand-children of Nancy Jean (Bradford) Robertson.Above: East River off Lower Manhattan, 1861-1862.Below: Ships off the Labrador Coast, 1870s.“The painting is crisply detailed and evenly illuminated in full daylight.”historically accurate and aesthetically beautiful. The reflections ofthe ships in the serene water are a marked comparison to some of theartist’s more dramatically narrative paintings of vessels caught in theice floes of the Arctic.Ships off the Labrador Coast, painted over a decade later, is distinctivelydifferent in subject, palette and infusion of light. Here we seeseveral ships in the northern waters off the Labrador coast set againsta background of icebergs and coastline bathed in the warm colorsof a setting sun. The relatively calm seas catch and reflect the warmcolors in stark contrast to the cold environment.In December 2006, Jean acquired Coastal Scene, 1860. It was apparentthat the joy she found in owning the first two Bradfords hadinspired Jean to add others to her walls. This remarkable gem is amasterful painting done in a luminous style that evokes the romanceof the sea and the feeling of isolation that often accompanied the lifeof a seaman in the 19th century. It is a very personal painting thatno doubt reflected the inner feelings of Bradford and his love for thislifestyle. The multi-toned sky, with layered planes of blues, lavenders,and yellows, successfully backlights and silhouettes the beached ship.Though small in size, it is very compelling through its strong compositionsupported by the multi-colored planes from foreground toshoreline to horizon to sky. It is a masterpiece that instantly mesmerizesthe viewer.The fourth and final painting by Bradford to enter into Jean’s lifecame in November, 2007 with the acquisition of the powerful,Working through the Ice in Melville Bay, 1869-1870. The darkest andmost dramatic of the four paintings, Bradford’s fascination with thebeauty and solitude of this frigid and remote environment is readilyconveyed to the viewer. Here the artist has depicted a two-mastedship immobilized by the ice fields with several mountainous icebergsin the background bathed in raking sunlight to build a beautifulcontrast between the red radiant warmth of the sun and frigid arcticcold of the ice. Compositionally, it is an extremely well thought outwork of art. The vessel is placed just to the right of center canvasimparting a sense of slow arduous forward motion through the ice.The reddish glow from a setting sun outside of the viewer’s vantagepoint produces deep shadows and exciting colors that illuminate theship, icebergs, and clouds in a gripping effect.Jean’s children expressed that she would have wanted the paintings tostay together for now. I could think of no other museum that wouldbe as glad to receive them than the New Bedford Whaling Museum.The Museum’s holdings of paintings, drawings and prints by the artistare the greatest repository of his work in the country. The abilityto study and display four more fully realized paintings in contextwill present an excellent opportunity to the collection, particularlybecause these paintings are of outstanding quality, rarity, and beauty.Four paintings, all executed by Bradford in different years and in differentcities are for now reunited due to Jean Robertson’s keen eye andeven keener desire to acquire them. She was proud that these Bradfordpaintings were appreciated by her family and I feel comfortablesaying that she would be immensely proud by having them displayedprominently on the walls of a venerable institution as the WhalingMuseum, where they can be enjoyed by the art viewing public. Allfour of the paintings will be on display at the museum in two exhibitionsopening in early May, Arctic Visions and Harbor Views.I am personally appreciative for the opportunity to have workedwith Jean and enabled her to have these paintings in her life. I amjust as appreciative of her family’s magnanimity in making thesepaintings available to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. It is anextremely generous gesture by her family that honors the wishes andmemory of Jean Robertson.Ellery H. Kurtz, AAA Director | Godel & Co., Inc. New York | www.godelfineart.comAbove: Coastal Scene, 1860. Below: Working through the Ice in Melville Bay, 1869-1870.8 bulletin | summer 2013For up-to-date calendar listings visit www.whalingmuseum.org9
2012 Accession listWe are grateful to those noted below fortheir splendid donationsengraved rectangular bordered scene of fort on left & a ship in right foreground.Flag identified as that of the Sandwich Islands flying over fort; ca. 1825-1850.Jack H.T. Chang, M.D., in Honor of Dr. Stuart M. Frank, Senior Curator.2012.15 Document: Stock certificate for saltworks in Sal, Cape Verde. Letterpresson paper; attached coupons for stock; stamped marks, 1919. Carl Cruz.2012.16 Tray, silver inscribed with family names to Cynthia Smith Cummings onher hundredth birthday, 1902. Lydia S. Lauderdale, Eliot Hallowell,Morris L. Hallowell and an anonymous donor.2012.17 Pipe, hollow whale tooth and horn, probably Africa or Arabian peninsula,1850-1900. Jack H.T. Chang, M.D..2012.18 Water jug, cup and saucer, Beau Vista, Cape Verde.Reverend Antonio Leite.2012.23 Photographic print: John Avery Parker House (built 1832-1834),photographer unidentified, late 19th century. Sidney L. Tynan.2012.24 One painting: View at the foot of Spring Street, Fairhaven, Mass.,by Lemuel D. Eldred (1845-1921), 1893. Museum Purchase.2012.25 One wooden Hiram Wheaton & Sons soda case, with sperm whale motif;10 Hiram Wheaton & Sons soda bottles (9 with sperm whale motifs), New Bedford, ca.1920-1950. Andrew Jacobson.2012.26 One painting: “The Calm Before a Coming Storm”, by William Allen Wall(1801-1885), ca. 1850. Bradley G. Kulman and Eve M. Kahn in Honor ofRenée E. Kahn.2012.27 One painting: “Three Sloops and a Schooner Yacht,” by William Bradford(1823-1892), 1858. Bequest of William O. Taylor.2012.31 Collection: 70 toys, by The Ted Toy-lers, New Bedford, MA, ca. 1925-1930(includes boxed pieces); 2 original Ted Toys catalogs; 10 full color broadside Ted-Toysadvertisements in a binder; One New Bedford Bridge Co. ticket ledger, 1862-1866;framed set of ferry tickets, 1833; Will of Elisha Allen, 1797; candle stub, spermaceti.Anonymous.2012.32 One Model Boat, Superstar sloop, built by donor as a 12-year old at CampWhite Oak, Nonquitt, MA, 1950. Edward G. Lund, Jr.2012.33 One bone fragment, mammalian, recovered by FV Celtic while fishingnear Georges Bank. José Melo.2012.34 One teaspoon, souvenir of New Bedford Hotel, ca. 1930.William W. Kenney.2012.35 Collection: 16 mm projector, with Col. Green tag and Instructions2012.1 One painting: ‘Sailing Illustrated’ book portrait, acrylic and ink on panel,by Roger Kizik, South Dartmouth, MA. 2008. In Honor of Frances Levin.Museum Purchase and Partial Gift of the Artist.2012.2 Additions to the First Congregational Church of Fairhaven papers; 1 totebox plus 4 vols. of records. Ca. 1964-1984. First Congregational Church ofFairhaven.2012.3 One painting: Wharfage, oil on linen, by Dora Atwater Millikin. 2011.Gift of the Artist.2012.4 Two Large whale sedation darts and needles, built and designed byPaxarms, New Zealand; used and retrieved. Ca. 2011. Michael Moore.2012.5 One lithograph: Le Navire Americain Le Sussex Capt. Pollard attaque parune baleine monstrueuse...1820, By Cyprien Charles Marie Nicolas Gaulon, France.Ca. 1825. Museum Purchase.2012.6 Painting: Double portrait of Leander Plummer Jr. by Frank Weston Benson(1862-1951) and Joseph Lindon Smith (1863-1950), oil on two separate canvaseslaid side by side on board Paris, France. Ca. 1883-1885. Museum Purchase.2012.7 Three cabinet cards: Horvitz family members; One photographic print ofFirst National Bank with whaling outfitters on ground floor, New Bedford, MA;One book: There Goes Flukes, inscribed by William Tripp to Sam Horvitz.Brenda Marder.2012.8 Two paintings: portraits of Francis Taber and Joseph Taber, Artist unidentified,ca. 1820. Edgar C. Rust, III.2012.9 One poem: “Behold! ye Whalers,” framed page from Nathaniel Ames’Almanac, 1747. Museum Purchase.2012.10 One manuscript: Crew disbursement book for the whaling bark Sunbeamof New Bedford, Thomas McKenzie, master, 1906-1908 with manuscript additions.Morgan Levine.2012.11 Manuscripts: Daily living receipts for William J[ames] Rotch (1819-1893),a student at Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1834 – 1838; Estate accountsand land auction documents, William Rotch, Jr., 1825-1834; leases and deedsrelating to properties either bought or managed by William Rotch, Jr., 1830-1846.Mrs. William Rotch.2012.12 Painting: “New Hampshire Scene,” oil on canvas, by Sanford Gifford(1823-1880). 3rd quarter 19th century. Mrs. Eliot S. Knowles.2012.13 Photographic print of power boat Alma with Marriott Mellor driving,photographer unidentified, ca. 1915; Trophy, silver-plated, engraved on side “N.B.P.B.CLUB/SECOND PRIZE/WON BY/ALMA/JULY 10, 1915”, made by Pairpoint, NewBedford, 1915. Thelma M. Bettencourt.2012.14 One Sperm Whale Tooth, engraved; ‘Old Hawaiian Fort Tooth,”(Ke-Kua-Nohu). REVERSE: separated initials (“A” and either “F” or “E”) OBVERSE:2012.26 2012.27 2012.622012.32 2012.28 2012.12012.19 Document: U.S. Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation, “Certificate ofService” for Manuel J. Domingues, Philadelphia, PA, 1937. William do Carmo.2012.20 One polar bear skin rug with head on modern fabric backing; bear taken byCaptain Albert C. Sherman (1849-1914). Nina and Robert Hellman.2012.21 Three paintings: portraits of Lawrence (1811-1893) & Rebecca Williams(1814-1893) Grinnell, by [?] Wilson; portrait of Capt. Richard Williams (1782-1845) byCharles Delin (1756-1818). Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence G. Knowles, Jr., and Family.2012.22 Three photographic prints by Sebastian Lassalle: Lincoln Park, 1992;Factory by Railroad Tracks, New Bedford, 2000; Woods in North Dartmouth.2012.28 Vessel with Dimple, stoneware, by Chris Gustin, South Dartmouth,Massachusetts, 2009. In Honor of Frances Levin. Museum Purchase andPartial Gift of the Artist.2012.29 Manuscript map of plot plans, Westport, Massachusetts, drawn by HenryB. Worth based upon information preserved in the Benjamin Crane 18th Century OldDartmouth property surveys; pine board carved with several 18th- and 19th-centuryvessel types; 2 paperweights, whale form, metal. Anne W. Baker Revocable Trust.2012.30 One harpoon gun with ramrod, by Christopher C. Brand, Ledyard,Connecticut, after 1849. Herman W. Delano.2013.4Manual; box containing eight (8) 16 mm films;Craig Projecto Viewer and one (1)16mm film, all related to Colonel Edward H. R, Green. Marybeth McMahon.2012.36 34 fish sculptures, stoneware, by Nancy Train Smith. Museum Purchase.2012.37 Document: typescript letter dated 11/08/1933 on stationery of The NewBedford Hotel, New Bedford, Mass. Stephen Lauber.2012.38 Collection: templates, parts & papers related to Camp White Oak modelboat project, ca. 1945-1960. Daniel, Robert and John Strohmeier.2012.39 One photographic print: Swedish bark Andriette at the wharf inNew Bedford, 1877. Richard Donnelly.10 bulletin | summer 2013For up-to-date calendar listings visit www.whalingmuseum.org 11
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